Four interdisciplinary research programs were selected last April to improve San Diego State’s research and creative endeavors profile. As an extension of SDSU’s strategic plan, the areas of excellence include: Climate and Sustainability Studies, Clinical and Cognitive Neuroscience, Human Dynamics in the Mobile Age and Viral Information Institute.

The newly developed areas of excellence are expected to advance the university’s position as a leader in research.

“This interdisciplinary research program will increase research and educational opportunities for SDSU students,” biology professor and Climate and Sustainability program researcher Walter Oechel said.

Faculty members were encouraged to develop collaborative projects and submit proposals in order to compete for funding from the university. Bringing expertise from various departments was essential for the development of the interdisciplinary programs. Many faculty members feel that intermingling expertise from diverse areas brings synergetic research that is less restrictive.

A review committee of nine faculty members examined a total of 28 proposals. The proposals were narrowed down to eight finalists, who were required to give an oral presentation on behalf of the faculty review committee, college deans, and the vice president of research. The four areas of excellence were selected after presentations were reviewed.

“It’s really important for us to have faculty that are good scholars,” said Dean of the College of Engineering and member of the faculty review committee David Hayhurst. “In order to be recognized nationally or internationally it takes more than just one individual.”

Now that the areas have been selected, the university has 16 new faculty positions within four colleges: the College of Arts and Letters, the College of Sciences, the College of Health and the College of Human Services and the College of Professional Studies and Fine Arts.  These positions are meant to enhance the success of research for the selected areas of excellence.

Geography professor for the Human Dynamics in the Mobile Age program researcher Ming-Hsiang Tsou said researchers plan to compete for international recognition by the National Heath Institute and National Science Foundation to bring in additional federal government funding. Professors are also viewing private corporations as future investors.

“The goal is to upgrade our research energy at San Diego State to a higher level,” Tsou said. “We are going to compete for the NIH. They have a proposal for Big Data to Knowledge Centers of Excellence and that proposal will provide $24 million per year to fund four to five research institutions. That is the size of funding we are looking for.”